5 Heartbreaking Truths Revealed About Avicii’s Cause Of Death And Final Days

The tragic passing of Tim Bergling, globally known as Avicii, remains one of the most shocking events in modern music history. While the immediate cause of death was confirmed as suicide in 2018, the full, heartbreaking context of his final years, his struggles with mental health, and the relentless pressure of fame have only been fully revealed through subsequent reports and the official biography. As of December 15, 2025, the conversation has shifted from *how* he died to *why* and the enduring work of his family to prevent similar tragedies. The world-renowned Swedish DJ and producer retired from touring in 2016, citing severe health issues and overwhelming stress, but the battle he faced privately was far more profound than the public realized. The details, largely drawn from his own journals and the official book *Tim: The Official Biography of Avicii*, paint a picture of a sensitive artist trapped by a punishing schedule, fighting a desperate war against anxiety, addiction, and a search for spiritual peace that ultimately eluded him.

Tim Bergling: A Brief Biography and Profile

Tim Bergling, the man behind the moniker Avicii, was a musical visionary whose sense for melody redefined electronic dance music (EDM) for a generation. His meteoric rise was unprecedented, but the pace of his success proved impossible to sustain.

• Full Name: Tim Bergling
• Born: September 8, 1989, Stockholm, Sweden
• Died: April 20, 2018, Muscat, Oman
• Age at Death: 28
• Occupation: DJ, remixer, record producer, songwriter
• Key Hits: "Levels," "Wake Me Up," "Hey Brother," "Waiting For Love," "Without You"
• Career Highlight: Two-time Grammy nominee, ranked among the world's top DJs for years.
• Retirement: Retired from touring in 2016 due to health concerns, including acute pancreatitis.
• Family: Parents are Klas Bergling and Anki Lidén.

The Confirmed Cause of Death: Suicide in Oman

Avicii passed away on April 20, 2018, while on a private vacation in Muscat, Oman. The suddenness of his death, just two years after his retirement from the stage, sent shockwaves across the globe.

The Initial Family Statement

While Omani authorities never released an official public statement on the specific cause, the Bergling family released a heartbreaking open letter that strongly alluded to suicide.

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The family described Tim as "a fragile artistic soul" who "could not go on any longer" and "wanted to find peace."

This statement led to widespread reporting that the cause was self-inflicted injury. Subsequent investigative reports confirmed the cause of death as suicide by self-harm using a piece of broken glass.

A Private Struggle in a Public Life

The tragedy was not a sudden event, but the culmination of years of intense physical and mental suffering. Avicii's struggles with his health were public—he suffered from acute pancreatitis, partially due to excessive alcohol consumption.

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However, the underlying battles with severe anxiety, depression, and a crippling dependency on painkillers were kept largely private until after his passing. The immense pressure of being a global superstar, performing hundreds of shows a year, exacerbated his mental health crisis.

5 Heartbreaking Truths Revealed About Avicii’s Final Days

The most detailed and intimate look into Avicii's final years comes from his own writings and the 2021 biography written by Måns Mosesson, which was supported by his family. These revelations provide the crucial context for his tragic end, offering key insights into the life of Tim Bergling.

1. The Journal Entries Detail a Search for Spiritual Peace

Avicii's journals, parts of which are published in the biography, reveal a profound attempt to find spiritual enlightenment and peace in his final years. He spent time in various rehab and treatment centers, including Ibiza Calm in Spain, where he intensely studied the teachings of Meher Baba, a spiritual master.

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His writings show a man desperately trying to manage his anxiety and addiction through meditation and spiritual practice, often writing about the need for his soul to find rest.

2. The Failed Intervention and Painkiller Addiction

Avicii’s father, Klas Bergling, revealed that the family staged an "excruciatingly painful" intervention for his son due to a growing addiction to painkillers, which were initially prescribed for his physical ailments.

Despite the family's efforts, including the rehab stints, the addiction and underlying mental health issues proved too powerful to overcome completely, illustrating the complex nature of substance use disorder.

3. He Found Solace in Hospital Stays

A disturbing truth revealed in his journals is that Avicii often found a strange sense of peace and relief when he was hospitalized for his pancreatitis. He wrote about enjoying the break from the relentless pressure of touring and the world's demands.

This highlights the extreme stress he was under, where a hospital bed was preferable to his normal life as a global superstar. He had retired from touring in 2016, but the internal battle continued.

4. The Final Note Was Not a Suicide Note

While the family did receive a final note from Tim, the biography confirms it was not a traditional suicide note. Instead, the final entries in his journal before his death were chillingly focused on abstract, spiritual concepts of "ending" and "rebirth," suggesting a mind that had become detached from reality in its quest for peace.

The final words in his journal, published in the book, are a haunting reflection of his mental state, not a clear farewell.

5. The Financial Success Did Not Bring Happiness

Despite earning hundreds of millions of dollars and becoming one of the most successful DJs in history, Avicii was famously indifferent to wealth. He often donated large portions of his earnings to charity, including $1 million to the hunger relief organization Feeding America.

His lack of attachment to money underscores the fact that his pain was not related to material success, but a deep, internal suffering that no amount of fame or fortune could alleviate.

The Enduring Legacy: The Tim Bergling Foundation

Following his death, Avicii's parents, Klas Bergling and Anki Lidén, established the Tim Bergling Foundation to honor their son's life and advocate for mental health awareness and suicide prevention.

Focus on Global Mental Health

The foundation’s core mission is to recognize suicide as a global health emergency and actively work to remove the stigma attached to mental illness and suicide.

It supports scientific research and works to destigmatize the discussion around mental health, especially among young people.

Current Initiatives (2025)

The foundation continues to be highly active, ensuring Avicii’s legacy is one of help and hope. Current initiatives include:

• "Dance for Life": A recurring initiative that uses the power of music and dance to promote mental well-being and raise funds for suicide prevention programs.
• Together For A Better Day Concerts: The foundation hosts benefit concerts, bringing together artists and fans to celebrate Tim's music and raise funds for mental health support.
• Partnerships: The foundation actively partners with organizations globally to promote mental health literacy and provide resources to those in crisis.

The work of Klas Bergling and the foundation ensures that while the world mourns the loss of a musical genius, Avicii's tragic death serves as a powerful, ongoing catalyst for change in how society views and addresses mental health.